Daihatsu Admits Crash Test Results For 88,000 Cars Made in Thailand, Malaysia Rigged. Perodua Says Axia Cars Are Safe

In another test-rigging scandal in the auto industry, Daihatsu has confessed to manipulating crash test results.

During the crash tests of certain models, the test car had a “notch” in the door trims, missing from cars that were eventually sold, and this modification could actually change the outcome during a crash. The notch minimised the risk of the door interior breaking, resulting in a sharp edge that could injure the occupant when the side airbag was deployed.

88,000 cars are affected and these were made in Thailand and Malaysia in the past year, and sold locally as well as to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Indonesia and Mexico.

Perodua was quick to issue a statement that their Axia cars are not affected and their safety certification still stands. CEO, Zainal Abidin Ahmad, said, “As we received news of this ‘procedural irregularity’ by Daihatsu, we immediately contacted these bodies to determine if the safety standard of the Perodua Axia was compromised…We were assured that despite the revelation by Daihatsu, the UN-R95 certification given to the Perodua Axia is intact.”

Toyota is largely affected, with 76,000 of the 88,000 vehicles said to be the Yaris.

Daihatsu is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Toyota Motor Corporation. Akio Toyoda, Toyota Chairman of the Board, said, “Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.’s wrongdoing is a matter that concerns safety, which is the most important aspect of vehicles. We consider this an absolutely unacceptable act that betrays the trust of our customers. We would like to sincerely apologize…”

Apparently, the whistleblower had highlighted this problem to Daihatsu in April which led to the company conducting the initial investigation. It is unclear yet whose decision it was to cut the notch in the test vehicles.

Meanwhile, Daihatsu has stopped the sale of the affected models pending re-testing to see if they are fit for sale.